Cee-lo 4,5,6
$1,000.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
A single bright moment of childhood creates the warmth here: a girl in an orange tutu sits high on a painted bench, calm and dreaming, while a boy below lunges with a net toward the dark, drifting butterflies. That contrast—a gentle stillness above and eager motion below—gives the scene its tenderness and energy. Frank Morrison balances playful, saturated color with everyday urban textures: the vivid tutu and sky feel almost luminescent against graffiti-streaked brick and stacked concrete. Small details—the scuffed sneakers, the paint rollers framing the bench, the loose paper and puddle at their feet—make the setting believable and affectionate rather than idealized. There’s an easy hopefulness in the way the children transform a gritty corner into a stage for imagination, and the composition quietly celebrates mentorship, play, and possibility without needing words. It’s the kind of image that lifts a room with both joy and resilience.
The Artwork
About Black Butterflies
Black Butterflies — Giclee On Canvas Artist Proof
If you’ve ever watched a kid dream bigger than the block they grew up on… this is that moment in color.
“Black Butterflies” by Frank Morrison floats a young girl in an orange tutu high on a painted bench, watching the sky. Below her, a boy stretches with a butterfly net, reaching for the dark wings drifting through their city. It feels like hope in motion—two kids turning concrete and graffiti into a place where possibility flies.
It’s made for anyone raising children to see their own magic, for teachers and mentors who point them higher, and for collectors who want joy, strength, and imagination on their walls—not just in their memories.
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
Product-specific details, edition information, provenance, and special considerations are shown here when applicable.
About the Collection
Frank Morrison is a renowned African American artist celebrated for his distinctive urban mannerism style, which reflects his roots in graffiti art and experiences as a breakdancer. Transitioning from dance to visual arts, Morrison captures the essence of hip-hop culture through his paintings, characterized by elongated figures and a vibrant color palette. As an award-winning children's book illustrator, he has contributed to over 35 publications, earning accolades such as the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Morrison's work offers a dynamic portrayal of contemporary Black life, bridging the gap between street art and fine art
Artist Signature
Signed and documented
This piece is signed by the artist and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by Frank Morrison.
Authorized Source
Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
Frank Morrison Born in Massachusetts then brought by his family to live in New Jersey at an early age, Frank Morrison was reared and spent his formative years there, an affable, precocious and inquisitive youngster whose curiosity about everything around him seemed limitless. Then, as an energetic pre-teen, he was interested and enthused by the youthful fads, interests and activities which marked his world: the neighborhood D.J's with their followers and fans at neighborhood parties, the colorful tags of local characters which were splashed across fences, parks and buildings, and the loose-jointed "B" boys and break-dancers who enlivened week-end party scenes. In this setting his world was suddenly rife with possibilities and he became convinced that he, too, could DO this!
In no time, invested with a brilliant flow of creativity, his eye for and execution of colorful tags and R.I.P scenes began to bring him considerable street recognition and local acclaim. But what soon pleased him more was his mounting reputation as a "B" boy--break-dancing, popping and locking with such skill and control that he became a regular on the dance crew of R & B star Sybil. After a couple of years traveling with her, he joined the touring crew of The Sugar Hill Gang, appeared on "Show Time At The Apollo", performed on the video "Rap Mania", and with the dance company of the movie, "New Jack City". In fact, it was while dancing and touring the nation and European continent that he chanced to visit The Louvre Museum in Paris that he "met his Muse". As he walked the halls there, he was consumed by what he saw. Looking at the work of the Masters in The Louvre, he was reminded of what he had unconsciously reached for in his sprawling graffiti pieces; he recognized realms of color, style, passionate expression and possibilities that he had never before imagined. Upon returning to New York, Morrison became a regular at local museums and galleries--knowing that he had to return to his art. With a renewed vision and an informed eye, the still teen-aged Morrison followed his heart, began the development of an expressive style of his own, crafted his first portfolio, and set out to market his paintings. One need take only a cursory view/examination of his portfolio or his work en gallery to find that his power and inspiration are products of his deeply religious grounding and his loving commitment to his family. His innate musicality, natural rhythmic bent and intrinsic understanding of physical/spiritual/emotional expression both invade and explode from his paintings. Notable collections of Morrison s art are owned by former New York City School Chancellor Rudy Crew, New Orleans Senator Gregory Tarver, renown actor/philanthropist Bill Cosby who prides himself on nurturing the talents of emerging African American artists, and Dr. Lorraine Hale among others. His work has enhanced the settings of televisions shows "Malcolm and Eddie", "New York Undercover", "Cosby" and has been a featured artist on the Home Shopping Network. Morrison has received commissions from the irrepressible radio/TV commentator Tom Joyner, the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, and executed serially mounted musical scenes for the compact discs "Impulsively Ellington: A Tribute to Duke Ellington. and Down-to-the-Bone s "Crazy Vibes and Things". His artwork has been displayed in prestigious locales shows such as "The National Black Fine Arts Show" produced by Jocelyn Wainwright, at the Savacou Gallery in Manhattan, and was honored and given a one-man show at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture sponsored by ESSENCE ART and Toyota. He earnestly declares that he is rendered speechless with pride when he finds his work displayed adjacent to and in conjunction with Romare Bearden originals. His initiatives include publication of two illustrated children s books "Zazzy Miz Mozetta" and "Harlem Morning". Which will be readied for publication in fall 2004. Morrison s work is inspired, not only by his rich and varied life experiences but, by his love and gratitude for his family--his wife Connie, three sons and a daughter and the omnipresent Hand of God. Each of his paintings bears his signature, of course, accompanied by the notation "TTG" representing and reminding all of his "Thanks To God" for the blessings of his gifts--his family and his talents.
In no time, invested with a brilliant flow of creativity, his eye for and execution of colorful tags and R.I.P scenes began to bring him considerable street recognition and local acclaim. But what soon pleased him more was his mounting reputation as a "B" boy--break-dancing, popping and locking with such skill and control that he became a regular on the dance crew of R & B star Sybil. After a couple of years traveling with her, he joined the touring crew of The Sugar Hill Gang, appeared on "Show Time At The Apollo", performed on the video "Rap Mania", and with the dance company of the movie, "New Jack City". In fact, it was while dancing and touring the nation and European continent that he chanced to visit The Louvre Museum in Paris that he "met his Muse". As he walked the halls there, he was consumed by what he saw. Looking at the work of the Masters in The Louvre, he was reminded of what he had unconsciously reached for in his sprawling graffiti pieces; he recognized realms of color, style, passionate expression and possibilities that he had never before imagined. Upon returning to New York, Morrison became a regular at local museums and galleries--knowing that he had to return to his art. With a renewed vision and an informed eye, the still teen-aged Morrison followed his heart, began the development of an expressive style of his own, crafted his first portfolio, and set out to market his paintings. One need take only a cursory view/examination of his portfolio or his work en gallery to find that his power and inspiration are products of his deeply religious grounding and his loving commitment to his family. His innate musicality, natural rhythmic bent and intrinsic understanding of physical/spiritual/emotional expression both invade and explode from his paintings. Notable collections of Morrison s art are owned by former New York City School Chancellor Rudy Crew, New Orleans Senator Gregory Tarver, renown actor/philanthropist Bill Cosby who prides himself on nurturing the talents of emerging African American artists, and Dr. Lorraine Hale among others. His work has enhanced the settings of televisions shows "Malcolm and Eddie", "New York Undercover", "Cosby" and has been a featured artist on the Home Shopping Network. Morrison has received commissions from the irrepressible radio/TV commentator Tom Joyner, the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, and executed serially mounted musical scenes for the compact discs "Impulsively Ellington: A Tribute to Duke Ellington. and Down-to-the-Bone s "Crazy Vibes and Things". His artwork has been displayed in prestigious locales shows such as "The National Black Fine Arts Show" produced by Jocelyn Wainwright, at the Savacou Gallery in Manhattan, and was honored and given a one-man show at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture sponsored by ESSENCE ART and Toyota. He earnestly declares that he is rendered speechless with pride when he finds his work displayed adjacent to and in conjunction with Romare Bearden originals. His initiatives include publication of two illustrated children s books "Zazzy Miz Mozetta" and "Harlem Morning". Which will be readied for publication in fall 2004. Morrison s work is inspired, not only by his rich and varied life experiences but, by his love and gratitude for his family--his wife Connie, three sons and a daughter and the omnipresent Hand of God. Each of his paintings bears his signature, of course, accompanied by the notation "TTG" representing and reminding all of his "Thanks To God" for the blessings of his gifts--his family and his talents.
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